The Clever Way You Should Be Reusing Empty Yogurt Containers In Your Garden

Many consumable items in the average household come in containers that could actually be useful in other ways. Plastic yogurt tubs are an excellent example of this. You could use them to store leftovers since they're food safe, or even repurpose those yogurt containers into unique kitchen storage. In the garden, that durable plastic comes in handy for making waterproof plant markers. The walls of plastic yogurt containers are thin enough to easily cut with a craft knife and scissors, and each tub could make a handful of them. If you don't have yogurt containers, no worries: plastic tubs from sour cream or similar products can be used in the same way. 

The larger the yogurt container, the more plant markers you can make from each one. Likewise, the taller the container, the taller your plant markers can be. Save a variety of yogurt containers and make markers for your garden, or when marking things in your favorite pots for container gardening. Without labels, any sprouts and seedlings poking up through the soil might look the same, and it's easy to forget what's planted where. The same holds true with bulbs planted in fall; without labels, it may be difficult to remember where they were planted once spring arrives. 

Wash the yogurt containers and allow them to dry. Use a craft knife or utility knife to slice a hole near the top lip and the bottom of the container. Insert scissors or your knife into the top hole, then cut the rim off all the way around the plastic container. Slice the bottom off as well; the end result should be a plastic tube. 

Cut the tube vertically into strips about half an inch wide; feel free to make them a little thicker if you prefer. Make one end of each strip into a point so it'll go into the ground more easily. If desired, round the opposite, or top, edges a bit for a more polished look. The fun part comes in writing the names of plants on the new plant labels or markers. Flip them to use the blank, all-white side, then spell out one plant per marker using a paint pen. While permanent markers will work, they'll eventually fade. Paint pens coat the plastic much like actual paint and will stay on a lot longer; just make sure the paint is dry before touching that part. To use the stakes, press them into the ground next to seeds or plants you've recently added to your garden. 

If you also enjoy the kind of yogurt sold in a glass jar, these creative ideas give glass yogurt jars new uses around the home and garden.